Grinding device

ABSTRACT

Grinding device and process of forming grinding device. Grinding device includes a grinding belt and a flexible substrate body. The grinding belt is mounted on the flexible substrate body in one piece and the flexible substrate body is detachably attachable to a drive device. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of German Patent Application No. 10 2004 042 319.9, filed on Sep. 1, 2004, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a grinding device with a grinding belt mounted on a drivable, flexible substrate body.

2. Discussion of Background Information

Grinding devices are known from the company brochure PFERD-VITEX AG, CH-8306 Brüttisellen “PFERD 2000” with which a grinding belt formed as a hollow cylinder is fitted on a cylindrical elastic substrate body. The expansion of the substrate body is facilitated by slits. The grinding belt placed on it is thus stretched and the elasticity increased. The grinding belt is to sit on the substrate body in a slip-resistant manner. If the substrate body is insufficiently elastic, it can happen that during grinding the irregularities of the workpiece to be ground remain unmachined. With the highly elastic substrate body, the grinding belt does not sit on the substrate body with sufficient slip resistance, so the machining of a workpiece is rendered practically impossible. Moreover, the consumption of grinding belt is relatively high because, on a substrate body that is not very elastic, the local wear of the relatively highly stretched grinding belt can be considerable and, on a highly elastic substrate body, the grinding belt stretched less tends to form waves and has to be replaced more often. Furthermore, the known elastic substrate body is constructed on a rigid base body associated with expense, which base body can also be damaged during replacement of the grinding belt and then has to be replaced.

From DE-C1-10012919 a roller is known for polishing surfaces of workpieces made of stone or stone-like materials with a metal core that can be accommodated on a drivable spindle and an outer layer containing a mineral polishing agent bound by a binding agent. The metal core has a mantle comprising a rubber elastic material which holds the outer layer that comprises a granulate embedded in a matrix formed by an adhesive, which granulate contains a mineral polishing agent bound by a binding agent, whereby the adhesive is more elastic than the granulate in the solidified state. The grinding granulate has to be introduced into the adhesive in a uniformly distributed manner during the production of the elastic outer layer comprising adhesive. This introduction often causes difficulties and depends on the consistency of the grinding granulate. Moreover, the rigid metal core prevents the formation of any elastic grinding tools.

Another surface machining device is known from DE-U1-29714279. Here the provided substrate body to be replaced is a metallic piece that is associated with relatively high costs. An elastic intermediate layer is applied to the substrate body, which layer carries the machining layer. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that relatively high costs are incurred by the use of a metallic substrate body. This metallic substrate body has to be present with every replacement tool, whether coarse or fine, soft or hard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a grinding device of the type mentioned at the outset which can be used with a relatively low-elastic substrate body as well as with a highly elastic substrate body and is economically advantageous.

According to the invention, the grinding belt with the flexible substrate body is embodied or formed in one piece and the flexible substrate body is directly attached to the drive in a detachable manner. With this arrangement, the grinding belt and the flexible substrate body are mutually held together firmly, such that the flexible substrate body is directly attached to the drive in a detachable manner. These measures make it possible to create a grinding device which can be advantageously operated both with a relatively low-elastic substrate body and with a highly elastic substrate body and is therefore suitable for the machining of all sorts of workpieces, such as stone, steel, aluminum in central or edge areas or sheet metals. The direct attachment of the flexible substrate body to the drive renders superfluous the use of a rigid base body associated with expense, which results in economic advantages.

Advantageously, the flexible substrate body is made of an elastomer. Elastomers are, e.g., natural rubber, chlorinated rubber, polybutadiene, polyurethane, silicone rubber, etc. The production of the flexible substrate body can be designed advantageously by a suitable choice of the elastomer. The flexible substrate body made of an elastomer can thus be firmly connected directly to the back of the grinding belt and can even be hardened there.

The Shore hardness of the flexible substrate body is advantageously between 40 and 85 Shore. Grinding devices for machining all sorts of workpieces, such as stone, steel, aluminum, etc. can be created through the suitable choice of the Shore hardness.

The shape of the flexible substrate body can be adapted to the drive provided. The flexible substrate body can thus be a laterally guided endless belt running on drive cylinders. The flexible substrate body can also take over the lateral guiding of the endless belt. The endless belt can thereby be provided on the back facing away from the grinding belt with at least one projecting endless guide piece. The guide piece is guided in a groove of the drive cylinder, whereby a secure lateral guiding of the substrate body with the grinding belt is achieved.

The flexible substrate body can also be an elastic, cylindrical body. The central bore of this body can advantageously be pushed onto a drive shaft in a rotationally locked manner. In this arrangement, replacing a worn grinding belt is particularly easy.

The present invention is directed to a grinding device including a grinding belt and a flexible substrate body. The grinding belt is mounted on the flexible substrate body in one piece and the flexible substrate body is detachably attachable to a drive device.

According to a feature of the invention, the flexible substrate body can be composed of an elastomer. Further, the flexible substrate body may be firmly attached directly to a back of the grinding belt.

In accordance with another feature of the instant invention, the flexible substrate body has a Shore hardness between 40 and 85 Shore.

The flexible substrate body can be a laterally guided endless belt. Moreover, the endless belt can be provided with at least one projecting endless guide piece, and the at least one projecting endless guide piece is arranged on a surface of the endless belt opposite the grinding belt.

Further, the flexible substrate body may be an elastic cylindrical body. The elastic cylindrical body can include a plurality of longitudinally extending groove corresponding to longitudinally extending ribs on the drive device.

Still further, the flexible substrate body can be directly attachable to the drive device.

According to another feature, the grinding belt can be mounted to the flexible substrate body by vulcanization.

According to still another feature of the invention, the flexible substrate body can be an elastomer and the grinding belt can be mounted to the flexible substrate body before the elastomer has hardened.

The present invention is directed to a process of forming a grinding device. The process includes mounting a grinding belt onto a flexible substrate body to form one piece.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the grinding belt can be mounted to the flexible substrate body by vulcanization.

According to another feature of the invention, the flexible substrate body can be an elastomer, and the grinding belt can be mounted to the elastomer before it has hardened.

According to a further feature of the instant invention, the process can further include detachably attaching the flexible substrate body to a drive device. The flexible substrate body may be directly attached to the drive device. Further, the flexible substrate body can have longitudinal grooves on a surface opposite the grinding belt that correspond to longitudinal ribs on the drive device, and the process may also include sliding the longitudinal grooves of the flexible substrate body over the longitudinal ribs of the drive device.

In accordance with still yet another feature of the present invention, the flexible substrate body has a Shore hardness between 40 and 85 Shore.

The present invention is directed to a grinding device that includes a one piece element composed of a grinding belt and a flexible substrate body structured to be detachably attachable to a drive device.

Other exemplary embodiments and advantages of the present invention may be ascertained by reviewing the present disclosure and the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is further described in the detailed description which follows, in reference to the noted plurality of drawings by way of non-limiting examples of exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in which like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a grinding device with an endless belt as a substrate body with grinding belt;

FIG. 2 illustrates a cross section of an endless belt carrying a grinding belt with an endless guide piece on the back of the endless belt with drive cylinders; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a cylindrical substrate body with a cylindrical grinding belt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The particulars shown herein are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the present invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the present invention in more detail than is necessary for the fundamental understanding of the present invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the present invention may be embodied in practice.

FIG. 1 shows a grinding device with an endless belt 1 which is attached to two drive cylinders 2 and 3. Endless belt 1 comprises a flexible substrate body 4 and a grinding belt 5 connected to substrate body 4 in one piece. Grinding belt 5 and substrate body 4 lying beneath are mutually held together firmly. Substrate body 4 is made of an elastomer that is firmly connected to the grinding belt 5 by vulcanization or by another suitable process. With one-piece carrier and grinder layers, the Shore hardness of substrate body 4 is determined by the workpiece to be ground. A soft substrate body 4 would be advantageous in order to be able to grind a thin sheet metal. A hard substrate body 4 would be desirable to grind a stone. In practical operation, a Shore hardness between 40 and 85 is chosen for substrate body 4.

The endless belt shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a conventional lateral guide. The lateral guide can be combined with substrate body 4 of endless belt 1, as is shown in FIG. 2. Substrate body 4 is provided on its back facing away from grinding belt 5 with a projecting endless guide piece 6. Guide piece 6 is guided in a groove 7 of drive cylinder 2 and also promotes the adhesion between drive cylinder 2 and endless belt 1.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment variant of the described grinding device. Flexible substrate body 8 is here a cylindrical body. Grinding belt 9 is embodied or formed with substrate body 8 in one piece. Substrate body 8 features a central bore 10 which is provided with longitudinal grooves 11. Substrate body 8 can be simply pushed onto a drive shaft provided with longitudinal ribs. Thus, replacing substrate body 8 is particularly easy, i.e., it needs only to be removed from the drive shaft (not shown) and replaced with a replacement part.

It is noted that the foregoing examples have been provided merely for the purpose of explanation and are in no way to be construed as limiting of the present invention. While the present invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it is understood that the words which have been used herein are words of description and illustration, rather than words of limitation. Changes may be made, within the purview of the appended claims, as presently stated and as amended, without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention in its aspects. Although the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular means, materials and embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particulars disclosed herein; rather, the present invention extends to all functionally equivalent structures, methods and uses, such as are within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A grinding device comprising: a grinding belt; a flexible substrate body; wherein said grinding belt is mounted on said flexible substrate body in one piece and said flexible substrate body is detachably attachable to a drive device.
 2. The grinding device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said flexible substrate body is composed of an elastomer.
 3. The grinding device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said flexible substrate body is firmly attached directly to a back of said grinding belt.
 4. The grinding device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said flexible substrate body has a Shore hardness between 40 and 85 Shore.
 5. The grinding device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said flexible substrate body is a laterally guided endless belt.
 6. The grinding device in accordance with claim 5, wherein said endless belt is provided with at least one projecting endless guide piece.
 7. The grinding device in accordance with claim 6, wherein said at least one projecting endless guide piece is arranged on a surface of said endless belt opposite said grinding belt.
 8. The grinding device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said flexible substrate body is an elastic cylindrical body.
 9. The grinding device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said elastic cylindrical body comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending groove corresponding to longitudinally extending ribs on said drive device.
 10. The grinding device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said flexible substrate body is directly attachable to the drive device.
 11. The grinding device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said grinding belt is mounted to said flexible substrate body by vulcanization.
 12. The grinding device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said flexible substrate body is an elastomer and said grinding belt is mounted to said flexible substrate body before said elastomer has hardened.
 13. A process of forming a grinding device, comprising: mounting a grinding belt onto a flexible substrate body to form one piece.
 14. The process in accordance with claim 13, wherein the grinding belt is mounted to the flexible substrate body by vulcanization.
 15. The process in accordance with claim 13, wherein the flexible substrate body is an elastomer, and the grinding belt is mounted to the elastomer before it has hardened.
 16. The process in accordance with claim 13, further comprising: detachably attaching the flexible substrate body to a drive device.
 17. The process in accordance with claim 16, wherein the flexible substrate body is directly attached to the drive device.
 18. The process in accordance with claim 16, wherein the flexible substrate body has longitudinal grooves on a surface opposite the grinding belt that correspond to longitudinal ribs on the drive device, and the process further comprises sliding the longitudinal grooves of the flexible substrate body over the longitudinal ribs of the drive device.
 19. The process in accordance with claim 13, wherein the flexible substrate body has a Shore hardness between 40 and 85 Shore.
 20. A grinding device comprising: one piece element composed of a grinding belt and a flexible substrate body structured to be detachably attachable to a drive device. 